Judging from how Tsunade had proudly tugged at her hair earlier, Orochimaru could tell she wasn't actually too worried about Jiraiya. Still, he could only groan inwardly at her stubbornness.
"After all," Tsunade said, frowning at the horizon, "we don't even know if these prophecies from the Great Toad Sage are true or false. Isn't it too risky to embark on a journey based purely on something so uncertain?"
She turned her head and looked directly at Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, what are you thinking?"
"I think the Great Toad Sage's prophecy is something we can treat as a reference," Orochimaru replied calmly, "but it should never be trusted completely."
To him, prophecies were unreliable. The "original Naruto story" he remembered was full of people and events he had neither met nor seen. This world was real—far more real than any story—and the original timeline could not be followed blindly.
Tsunade snorted. "Look at Jiraiya. He believes in that prophecy wholeheartedly. That idiot!"
"Whether he believes in it or not is his own business. We cannot control that," Orochimaru replied with a shrug.
As they walked across the quiet field outside Rain Country, Orochimaru's thoughts drifted. There were no Uzumaki survivors here—he was certain of that. Most of the surviving Uzumaki had fled to the Land of Waves, where they had later encountered other refugees.
Given the current state of the Rain Country—peaceful, prosperous, and stable—Konan and Yahiko's parents lived safely in White Snake Town and White Snake Central Town. With the absence of war, they would never become orphans like in the original timeline.
But even if Nagato did not possess the Rinnegan…
There could be Shortgate, Backgate, Sidelane-Gate—countless potential bearers.
All Uchiha Madara really needed was a suitable "vessel" capable of containing the Rinnegan. Perhaps a surviving Uzumaki had escaped somewhere else entirely.
Nothing could be said for sure.
Orochimaru also refused to believe that he was the reason the Rain Country had changed so drastically. It was Hanzo's decisive policies that transformed the nation into the wealthy, stable state it was today. Orochimaru had simply taken advantage of the circumstances.
If Hanzo had never visited the Land of Waves, he would never have established the battery processing plants or transportation hubs that became the backbone of Rain's economic rise. Without those decisions, Rain would still be the same war-torn land it once was.
"So this is what you call a man's stubbornness?" Tsunade teased, glancing at Orochimaru's hand. "Such unnecessary insistence."
She slowly reached for his hand—her expression subtle, almost hesitant. Just as her fingers were about to touch his—
"Brother Orochimaru!!"
A small figure rushed in and clung tightly to Orochimaru's leg.
Tsunade froze.
I… I almost did it!
Her gaze shifted between Nawaki—hugging Orochimaru's leg like a koala—and her own hand, which had been seconds away from holding his.
---
Chapter 144 — Madara Uchiha Wants to Live Longer
Meanwhile, in the Land of Waves, at the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, the medical chamber was filled with the scent of fresh herbs.
Lan Duo, now entering her second growth spurt, stood naked before Si. She blushed intensely.
"Miss Si… how is my body recovering?"
Si inspected her clinically—cold, professional, detached—as if the beautiful girl before her were simply a medical specimen. She pressed the muscles of Lan Duo's arm, then checked the texture of her back.
"No issues," Si replied flatly.
"The scars are really gone…" Lan Duo murmured, her purple eyes shining. "Does this mean I can stop the medicine now?"
"Continue the treatment," Si said. "Once the itching in your bones disappears, you can stop the oral medicine. The topical treatment will continue for about a month."
Lan Duo's face brightened with joy. She quickly dressed and asked shyly, "Miss Si… would you like to have a meal with me?"
"I have an important experiment coming up next time," Si said, gently patting her head. Then she exited the room.
Ashu was waiting at the door with a briefcase. "Miss Si, here are the blood samples you requested from the Chinoike clan. Is that enough?"
"I asked for samples, not blood donations. This much is unnecessary," Si said, taking the case.
Li Gu waited anxiously by the hall, eyes filled with concern. "Miss Si… how is my sister?"
"She's fine," Si answered. "Just continue giving her the medicine."
Noticing the young man's relief, Si smirked. "If you care about her so much, why do you always treat her so awkwardly?"
Li Gu lowered his head. "Lan Duo fell into a boiling hot spring years ago… it was my fault. If I had protected her better, she wouldn't have—"
"She heard you," Si said, nodding toward Lan Duo, who was glaring at her brother from afar.
Leaving them, Si walked toward the president's office, only to bump into Kakuzu, who was carrying a stack of documents.
"Kakuzu. How are you feeling?" Si asked casually. She could sense he was slowly absorbing natural energy, and even the nutrients from his meals were being converted through the Zero-Tails-enhanced vascular tentacles in his body.
"I feel… great," Kakuzu answered, though he looked annoyed. Orochimaru—Si—never stopped checking on his condition. Did she not trust her own research?
In reality, Orochimaru simply wanted more data. He was certain the Zero-Tails cells could be implanted into others someday.
"Good. Do a physical examination later and send me the data," Si said impatiently. Without waiting for a reply, she stepped into a silver car and headed to the island-laboratory.
---
At the Island Laboratory
Uchiha Madara lay comfortably on a recliner atop a bright red sports car, enjoying the sun. He had already abandoned the idea of using the "power of creation." At this rate, he might not even awaken the Rinnegan before dying.
"You're slow," Madara called as Si's silver car descended from the sky. "Making an old man wait this long is unacceptable."
"Old fossil," Si snapped as she stepped out, flipping him off. "I don't have time to chat with someone who already has one foot in the grave. If you're bored, why not build your own coffin ahead of time? Save me the trouble of paying for one later."
Respect for the elderly?
Affection for the young?
Si had neither.
Madara chuckled without anger. "That girl named Lan Duo… how are you treating her? I've heard some things about the Chinoike clan."
"Treating her? What's there to treat?" Si replied bluntly. "The Chinoike clan was escorted into Hell Valley by the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning. The Uchiha clan just took the money and did the job. What's wrong with that?"
Madara sat up. "Do you think the Uchiha were in the wrong?"
"There is no 'right' or 'wrong' there," Si said. "The Uchiha were mercenaries. They protected whoever paid them. Why would I judge that? Are you senile?"
Madara's eyebrow twitched. Kara Zetsu, hiding underground, was silently screaming. Why did Madara willingly come here just to be insulted by this woman? Did he enjoy being scolded by strong, violent young women?
But Madara had a purpose.
Si's capabilities were extraordinary—bordering on monstrous. If anyone could prolong his life through Hashirama's cells, it would be her.
He needed to build a working relationship with her before revealing his identity. If he tried using a cursed seal on her, she would likely retaliate with the terrifying chakra explosives she specialized in.
Si was the type of person whose vengeance transcended generations. Anger her, and not even one's ancestors' graves would be safe.
Madara understood that perfectly.
---
Orochimaru's New Discovery
After teaching a sealing lesson at the Academy, Orochimaru returned to the lab exhausted. He collected the blood samples from the Chinoike clan and began analysis.
The Ketsuryugan's ability to manipulate water and shape it into biological forms was not about literal water manipulation—it was about using blood as a medium for a special chakra that could contaminate and control.
Just like Sharingan required emotional stimulation to awaken, Ketsuryugan also needed a powerful emotional trigger. Once awakened, it produced a unique chakra that allowed the user to contaminate another person's blood… and even turn them into living time-bombs.
Contamination…
Orochimaru's golden eyes lit up.
What if the Chinoike ability to contaminate blood could be modified to contaminate chakra?
That would solve the greatest weakness of the Chakra Poison—the slow spread.
If contamination and propagation happened simultaneously, then anyone infected would lose all ability to mold chakra instantly.
A perfect crippling weapon.
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt.
Mio walked over. "Do you need Chinoike cells cultured?"
"It won't hurt," Orochimaru replied. "It may be useful"
The sun shone brightly over green, rolling wheat fields. Children ran through the crops with carefree laughter.
Jiraiya stopped walking.
He looked around slowly, stunned.
Is this… really the Rain Country?
For a moment, he wondered if he had somehow wandered back into the Land of Fire.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)